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Settlement Reached In Havasupai Education Lawsuit

In this Feb. 17, 2018, photo, a fence surrounds Havasupai Elementary School in Havasupai, Ariz.
Alden Woods/The Arizona Republic via AP
In this Feb. 17, 2018, photo, a fence surrounds Havasupai Elementary School in Havasupai, Ariz.

Members of the Havasupai tribe have reached a settlement with the federal government to partly resolve a lawsuit that sought widespread education reforms.

Attorneys for Havasupai parents and students say the agreement will help thousands of Native Americans who attend Bureau of Indian Education schools. A federal court had already determined that the bureau violated its duty to ensure access to special education, therapists and mental health services. The Bureau of Indian Education didn't admit fault in the agreement that requires it to incorporate a federal disability civil rights law into its manual. Independent monitors would ensure the agency complies with the agreement for the next three years.